International Assistance: requests for the property until 1998

Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1998

The Centre transmitted the report “Threats to St. Kilda World Heritage Site from Proposed Oil Exploration and Production in the Atlantic Frontier”, prepared by Greenpeace International, to IUCN for review. This report has raised serious concerns on potential impacts to this site, particularly in the event of a possible oil spill that may result from the use of the Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Facilities (FPSOs). There are important threats associated with pollution derived from byproducts of oil exploration and drilling activities. When IUCN undertook the mission to evaluate this site in 1986, it recommended that protection be extended to include the adjoining marine environment. IUCN has informed the Centre that the State Party is currently considering the establishment of a special Area of Conservation for the seas of the St.Kilda archipelago under European Union’s Habitats and Species Directive. IUCN has welcomed this initiative and expressed the hope that it will lead to the eventual extension of the World Heritage site to include the seas of the St. Kilda archipelago.

Action Required

Decision required: The Bureau may wish to adopt the following text and transmit it to the Committee for noting:“The Bureau invites the State Party to take all possible measures to protect St. Kilda from potential adverse impacts of oil exploration and production in the Atlantic frontier and to consult with all interested parties before proceeding with such activities. The Bureau welcomes the State Party’s initiative to extend the boundaries of the site to include the seas of the St.Kilda archipelago.”

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1998

The Centre transmitted the report entitled “Threats to St. Kilda World Heritage Site from Proposed Oil Exploration and Production in the Atlantic Frontier”, prepared by Greenpeace International, to IUCN for review. This report has raised serious concerns on potential impacts to this site, particularly in the event of a possible oil spill that may result from the use of the Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Facilities (FPSOs) There are important threats associated with pollution derived from by-products of oil exploration and drilling activities. IUCN has informed the Centre that the State Party is currently considering the establishment of a special Area of Conservation for the seas of the St. Kilda archipelago under the European Union’s Habitats and Species Directive. IUCN has welcomed this initiative and expressed the hope that it would lead to the eventual extension of the World Heritage site to include the seas of the St. Kilda archipelago.

The Observer of the United Kingdom informed the Bureau that his Government is in the process of preparing a detailed response on the issues raised. Any license is subject to a thorough review, which is co-ordinated by Scottish Heritage.

The Bureau invited the State Party to take all possible measures to protect St. Kilda from potential adverse impacts of oil exploration and production in the Atlantic frontier and to consult with all interested parties before proceeding with such activities. The Bureau welcomed the State Party’s initiative to extend the boundaries of the site to include the seas of the St. Kilda archipelago.

Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1998

Adopted

Draft Decision

22 COM VII.27

Reports on the State of Conservation of Natural Properties Noted by the Committee

VII.27 The Committee noted the decisions of the twenty-second extraordinary session of the Bureau as reflected in the Report of the Bureau session (Working Document WHC-98/CONF.203/5) and included in Annex IV on the following properties:

Heard and McDonald Islands (Australia)

Shark Bay, Western Australia (Australia)

Wet Tropics of Queensland (Australia)

Belovezhskaya Pushcha/Bialowieza Forest (Belarus/Poland)

Iguacu National Park (Brazil)

Dja Faunal Reserve (Cameroon)

Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks (Canada)

Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area (China)

Huanglong Scenic and Historic Interest Area (China)

Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area (China)

Los Katios National Park (Colombia)

Morne Trois Pitons National Park (Dominica)

Nanda Devi National Park (India)

Whale Sanctuary of El Viscaino (Mexico)

Royal Chitwan National Park (Nepal)

Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal)

Arabian Oryx Sanctuary (Oman)

Huascaran National Park (Peru)

The Committee noted that the Bureau's decision reflected the suggestion to establish an informal contact group on mining and World Heritage and that the IUCN "Draft Policy on Mining and Protected Areas" will be circulated.

Kamchatka Volcanoes (Russian Federation)

Virgin Komi Forests (Russian Federation)

Skocjan Caves (Slovenia)

Thung Yai-Huay Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries (Thailand)

St. Kilda (United Kingdom)

Ha Long Bay (Vietnam)

Durmitor National Park (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia)

The Committee noted the UN official name for the State Party: Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).